Bolt-lock means for vending machines or the like



May 27, 1969 M- A. RANDEL 3,446,046

BOLT-LOCK MEANS FOR VENDING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Filed March 20, 1967 NVENTOR M0127 [ME]? A. AMI/fill Wax ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 70-101 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A slide bolt is used to lock a vending machine cabinet to make it resistant to pry bar entry.

The present invention relates generally to door lock assemblies for cabinets and has particular reference to a sliding bolt lock assembly which is actuated by a rotatable lock. The improved lock arrangement comprising the present invention has been designed for use primarily in connection with a coin-operated vending machine cabinet of the type which is commonly utilized in public places and serves as a medium for dispensing such products as cigarettes, candy, prepared sandwiches and the like. The invention, however, may be found useful in connection with other vending machines designed to dispense other articles. Further, the invention may be applied to other forms of cabinets, such as file cabinets.

A typical cigarette vending machine may contain hun dreds of dollars Worth of merchandise which is readily salable and therefore, in view of the generally unattended locationsfor the machines, is a prime target for thieves.

The prior art locking arrangement employs simple latching means which can be forced by the proper application of a pry bar or jimmy between the door and the stationary cabinet. As will be described more fully hereinafter, the present invention provides a slide type lock bolt which effectively, because of its mode of installation, secures the door to the body of the cabinet in a unitary structure which is difficult to jimmy open. Further, a protective member is provided which further locks the door to the frame through the use of the slide-bolt lock and which would necessitate, in order for the thief to make a successful entry, cutting away a substantial part of the cabinet. Such an entry requires tools beyond that of a simple jimmy and is time-consuming. Accordingly, except for the most isolated locations, the use of this invention will effectively discourage thieves.

There is a class of rotating lock assemblies known as draw locks. The function of the draw lock is to draw the door of the cabinet tight against the cabinet, per se. A common use for this type of lock is in the case of the refrigerated vending machine, where a heavy gasket extends around the opening and it is necessary to compress the gasket tightly so that there will be no heat losses around the door jamb. The present invention is to be distinguished from this type of prior art as in the usual draw lock installation the reliance is placed on the threads wholly. A jimmy can be used in such manner as to provide sufficient force to strip the threads.

A feature of this invention is that it may be readily fitted to existing cabinets now in the market. This is an important consideration because of the large number of machines now in service and the need to make such installations at a low cost without removing the machine from the location.

Briefly stated, this invention comprises a slide bolt which is fitted with an engaging mechanism which engages upon rotation. One embodiment of the invention uses a threaded lock bolt. Another embodiment employs an engaging pin transverse to the bolt which is a type common to quarter-tum fasteners.

The cabinets are generally equipped with a door which has a wide flange extending at right angles to the face of the door. It is customary to install a lock in this flange along a line passing through the hinge, which line would be a radial of the arc traversed by the edge of the door when open. The conventional lock is removed and a plate is mounted on the frame with an opening located over the original door lock opening. The door is then equipped with a nut for receiving the slide bolt. With the bolt installed the door and the cabinet are welded into one piece.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity and will, in part, become obvious from the following more detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which forms an integral part thereof.

In the various figures of the drawing like reference characters designate like parts.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top view of a cabinet having a door equipped with the apparatus of this invention. A look prior to insertion is shown in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken in elevation showing the edge of the door;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view taken in elevation showing a portion of the cabinet;

FIG. 5 is a pictorial view showing a quarter-turn lock arrangement;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing the parts that go to make up an installation kit for an existing cabinet; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a cabinet showing an alternative lock installation.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a portion of a vending machine cabinet 12 to which are afiixed hinges 14 which carry door 16. On the side face 16a of door 16, there is a hole 18 which normally receives a lock 20 (in FIG. 3). A pair of holes are drilled in the side face of the door. Behind these holes, U-shaped member 22 is mounted by means of screws 24. Member 22, which may be termed a hat member, carries a captive nut 26. The position of this assembly may be seen more clearly in FIG. 2. The lock-bolt 20 prior to insertion is shown in phantom.

A plate 30 is secured to the side of the cabinet 12 by means of bolts 34. It will be noted that the heads of the bolts are the ball type so that no purchase may be obtained thereon by any sort of a tool. On the inside of the cabinet a backing plate 36 is provided and the bolts secured by means of nuts 38.

It will be appreciated that this assembly mounted on a steel cabinet cannot be readily torn off, but would necessitate cutting out the entire cabinet wall. With the door closed, hole 18 in the door is aligned with hole 40 in plate 30. The lock 37 is then inserted and screwed down into position so that it engages the captive nut 26 as shown in FIG. 2.

It will be appreciated that if a jimmy is now inserted at the only logical place, namely, between the door and the case, at a point opposite the hinge, in order to force the door open, it would be necessary to tear through either the area marked A of member 30 (FIG. 4) which, being of eighth-inch steel, represents no easy task; or, to tear through area B (FIG. 3) of the door together with the pulling out of the screws 24, which is not apt to occur.

It should be noted that while the lock appears to be a conventional draw-bolt type, it is not used in this manner. The threads on the bolt are used merely to prevent the lock from being withdrawn, but no reliance is placed on the strength or holding power of the threads against the action of a jimmy.

Since the threaded bolt is not used as a draw-bolt, a simple quarter-turn latching arrangement, such as shown in FIG. 5, may be employed. Here bolt 60 is provided with a transverse pin 62 which mates with a mating portion 64, the particular engaging means for the lock not being part of the invention. It should be noted that the opening 40 in plate 30 has a pair of flats 41 which mate with the lock to prevent its rotation. However, the key, when inserted in the lock, will permit the tumbler to rotate carrying with it the shaft 60.

In FIG. 7 there is shown a modification of the invention wherein an L-shaped member 30 is secured to a door 16 using fasteners and a backing plate 36. The nut supporting member 22 is mounted on the cabinet wall which is apertured to receive lock-bolt 20. Thus it will be appreciated that this is a versatile device which can be adapted to cabinets, drawers and the like.

There has been disclosed heretofore the best embodiment of the invention presently contemplated and it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a walled cabinet having a walled door pivoted from the cabinet:

(a) an apertured plate attached to a selected one of said door and cabinet;

(b) a backing plate secured to said apertured plate to capture the wall of said selected one therebetween;

(c) a support member attached to the other of said door and cabinet;

((1) a threaded nut secured to said support member 4 with said nut aligned with an aperture in the member to which said support member is secured; and (e) a key controlled lock having a bolt adapted to engage said nut when, with the walled door in a closed position, the bolt extends through the aperture in the member to which the support is secured and the lock is mounted in the aperture in the said apertured plate, with the longitudinal axis of the bolt being oriented transverse the normal direction of the initial opening of the door, said lock having means to prevent rotation in the aperture of the plate. 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said apertured plate is attached to the cabinet.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said apertured plate is attached to the door.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said apertured plate is in the form of a right angle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 301,698 7/1884 Drake 70-371 1,748,598 2/1930 Dermody 70-208 2,3 09,863 2/ 1943 North 312-219 2,355,196 8/1944 Zahodiakin 24221 2,397,889 4/1946 Taylor 24-221 2,983,436 5/1961 Greenwald 292-251 3,299,678 1/1967 Spencer 292-251 RICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

